Readers might have seen a bright blue tree located near the Wee Waa Sporting Complex.
The tree is one of many popping up around the country as part of a powerful project, which has a mission to spark tricky conversations and encourage people to feel comfortable enough to speak up about mental health concerns.
Residents Dennis Lowder and Bruce Gray decided to put brush to bark and spread blue paint to help spread the message across
our region that ‘it’s okay not to be okay’.
Mr Lowder said he’d heard about the Blue Tree Project, and he felt it was important Wee Waa took part in the mental health initiative.
People driving or walking by the blue tree might be gently reminded to be kinder to themselves, to be kinder to others, to reach out to those in need, to think about the importance of good wellbeing, or work to break the stigma often attached to mental health issues.
The Blue Tree Project website states, “Sadly, our story is not unique, but the legacy of Jayden Whyte is”.
“The Blue Tree Project has flourished into a charity helping change the way we talk about mental health after Jayden Whyte took his own life in 2018.
“The blue trees now dotted across Australia and other parts of the world, act as beacons of hope and conversation starters.”
Jayden Whyte’s sister Kendall started the mental health awareness initiative in 2018 after her brother’s death.
Last year, thanks to the staff and management of the Westchester Group of Australia and ‘Boolah Farms’, Boggabri had its first ‘blue tree’ just out of town on their property ‘Milchengowrie’.
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